skip to main content

2,634 shops listed | Last updated: Thursday, March 28, 2024

Monitor Add a site

Pinterest leads social networks in e-commerce impact

Friday, November 2, 2012 - 10:04 by Mike Price

Share on

Pinterest may not have as many users as sites like Facebook and Twitter, but this social service is proving to be one of the best resources for consumers looking to research products and retailers trying to sell them via safe shopping online.

A new study published by Bizrate Insights, has found that nearly 70 per cent of people who head to Pinterest are able to find a product which they either intend to purchase, or have recently added to their collections.

This compares to just 40 per cent of consumers who are able to achieve the same thing using Facebook.

Pinterest is able to outclass its social rivals when it comes to helping people discover new products, decide to actually purchase them and then allow people to engage with retailers through the content that is posted to it.

Interestingly, Pinterest may be ahead of the game in some areas, but actually lags behind in others. For example, people are more likely to engage with promotions when they are offered via Facebook than Pinterest, which suggests that the audience expects something different when visiting each site.

Pinterest does lead the pack when it comes to the sharing of products, with 55 per cent of its users likely to repost an item that they own or desire, compared to just 37 per cent taking the same action when using Facebook.

When it comes to the way that consumers use each service, it seems that Pinterest is actually beneficial for retailers and brands, because it encourages people to effectively promote content independently, making them so-called 'creators.'

Meanwhile, Facebook is better geared towards allowing people to participate in promotional activities, which means that retailers are expected to work harder in order to cater to and engage this audience.